NYC Requires Three Per Car to Enter Manhattan After Sandy

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy and the ongoing bridge and tunnel closures hampering travel into and out of New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is requiring commuters to car pool.

"I have ordered the four East River bridges be restricted to high-occupancy vehicles coming into Manhattan, meaning three or more people per vehicle, all day Thursday and all day Friday from 6 a.m. to midnight," the mayor said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The plan is a necessary one in order to reduce traffic coming into the city.

Even though New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has waived fares on the subway and city buses, service is still spotty and many New Yorkers are turning to the roads for their commute.

The same rule applies to the Triborough and Henry Hudson bridges, and the Lincoln Tunnel. The George Washington bridge is an exception to this carpool rule since many drivers cross the bridge on the way to another state, but delays there have reached up to an hour.

Bloomberg was eager to remind people that safety should be the only priority amongst those driving to work.

"People should use extreme caution when driving on the streets, particularly where there are no traffic lights operating,” Bloomberg said. “We’ll have Police Department recruits at these intersections starting tonight to direct traffic."

NJ Transit, Metro North and city buses and subways are all operating under revised schedules.